The last stadium built in Miami caused a public uproar that still has locals seething until this day.
Miami Beckham United has no intention of having history repeat itself.
Tim Leiweke, one of David Beckham’s partners in trying to bring an MLS franchise to Miami, wrote a detailed open letter in the Miami Herald on Thursday night outlining the plans for ownership group Miami Beckham United’s proposed stadium in Little Havana.
Unlike the Marlins Park venue that it is hoped it can sit next to, the soccer-specific stadium is going to be privately-financed. Leiweke also said Miami Beckham United is trying to sweeten the deal by giving back to the community via a long list of concessions, including handing over ownership to the Miami-Dade County school board once the stadium is built, providing educational space within the venue for sports, music, entertainment and more.
Leiweke also said that if an agreement is struck, Miami Beckham United will give locals the “full power” to approve the proposal for the stadium.
Beckham announced his plans to expand into Miami back in Feb. 2014. The global soccer icon needs to first come to terms with city officials on a deal for a new stadium before being officially awarded a franchise, but has had trouble finding a spot that local government officials and the general public approve of.
What do you think of this letter by Miami Beckham United? Is the deal that Beckham and his group are offering a good one for Miami? How do you see this playing out in the coming weeks?
Share your thoughts below.
This pretty much says it all.
This drama has been going on so long that I feel like the team already existed & is now defunct,
Why is MLS wasting time with Miami. ? A terrible market. When sacrament is a much better option.!!!
Because Miami is a world city and Sacramento is an after thought in its own state.
Miami is certainly an important city but it’s also a terrible sports town.
This letter has desperation written all over it. I hope for the sake of MLS and U.s Soccer in general that this deal does work out but now everything is looking bleak. The whole nature about this Miami team, Beckham and stadium debacle not to mention the shotgun celebration was out of place. It’s just too bad for Becks that he has a hard on for Miami because it’s pretty clear, Miami doesn’t have one for him. Toss in Miami FC of the NASL in the mix and now what should have a been an easy flight turns into a circus. All this may be too much for any city to deal with. Miami, I hope you find some balance in this duress time. I’ve said enough.
Considering all of the cities that would love an MLS team, I just can’t see persisting with this team in the worst sports city in America. Just go elsewhere and let minor league NASL have this crummy market.
I think maybe it’s time for Beckham to leave Miami. Maybe he can renegotiate with the league for a team in another city. I’m sure he can find a city that would welcome him and his financial backers. I think the politics in Miami are too much to overcome. I don’t understand how the Miami school board got involved in the stadium or how they’re owed anything. In my opinion it’s just politics and egos. Can anyone tell me of any other team in any major league where the school board demanded concessions from a professional sports team for a stadium that didn’t affect them? I think it’s time for Don Garber and MLS to step in and stop this. If Beckham really wants a team on the water front and the league wants a team in Florida then assess the fan & politcal support in Jacksonville or Tampa.
I think they let him exercise his option and try whatever he wanted (even if it’s a huge reach like Miami), because they made a contract, but at some point here the adults will step in and he will be offered some combination of a buy out, a stake in an existing team in a city he likes, the right to be part owner in an expansion city chosen by the league through normal processes, or the expiration of his option rights altogether. Since the expansion team was never technically awarded and all these feelers come to naught, I think this is just “due diligence” before some solution is devised to end efforts that don’t help league image. MLS has too many interested suitors (though some I think in practice are risks) to waste their time on a disinterested area just because Beckham wants to force things to be in Miami.
Totally agree. Enough is enough. Time to move on to a city that will seize the opportunity and has the backing of a real fan base.
Beckham United is the name of the investor’s group used during this period. It’s only temporary. For brand recognition.
Do you really believe that he would name his team Miami Beckham United. Cmon man put down the blunt and splash some cold water on your face.
I wouldn’t have thought a team could be called “New York Red Bulls” but lo and behold such a team exists (and I’m a season ticket holder).
I’m still confused why New York Red Bulls are also called RBNY rather than NYRB. So much confusion…
…adding to the confusion when it should be NJRB.
1133 Pinewood Dr. Apt.D
Inviting us over?
gotta ask…is ‘Miami Beckham United’ the official name?
Haha. I read it the same way.
Actually, it’s “Goldenballs FC”